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On Monday, June 27, the authorities found a vehicle transporting immigrants in deplorable conditions. On a day that reached 39 ° C, they discovered the truck on the outskirts of San Antonio, near the border between Texas and Mexico. Among the injured, who had signs of dehydration and heat effects, were four minors. The Mexican government stated that 22 of the fatalities were Mexicans and another 19 have not yet been identified. The state governor blamed the central government.
Consternation surrounded the routes of San Antonio, on the Texas border with Mexico, after a parked truck was found on June 27 carrying 100 people in its trailer, where at least 50 were dead and another 16 injured in one one of the worst cases registered in the United States in recent years regarding the trafficking of immigrants.
On a day marked by high temperatures that touched 40 ° C, the incident occurred in a regular transit area for vehicles dedicated to the clandestine transport of migrants.
More precise details of the victims’ condition, such as how long they were inside the truck, are still unclear. The driver left the car parked on the edge of some train tracks, abandoned it and, minutes later, the people were rescued by a worker who heard the cries for help.
The San Antonio Fire Department explained that the 16 injured people were taken to the hospital and showed pictures of sunstroke –among other effects of the heat– and there were no traces of water in the trailer.
Meanwhile, authorities have three suspects in custody.
The president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, announced this Tuesday that at least 22 of the fifty deceased were Mexicans.
“So far, 22 are from Mexico, seven from Guatemala, two from Honduras and 19 still have no information on their nationality,” he listed at a press conference at the National Palace.
I update Texas information provided by US authorities. 50 deceased. 22 Mexicans. 7 Guatemalans. 2 Hondurans. The others are yet to be identified. We are in mourning. Huge tragedy. Mexico joins investigations in the US, coordinated with DHS.
– Marcelo Ebrard C. (@m_ebrard) June 28, 2022
On the other hand, the Mexican president affirmed that his Administration is working together with the US authorities for the transfer of the bodies.
The mayor of San Antonio, Ron Nirenberg, expressed his pain and that he hopes that those “responsible for putting these people in subhuman conditions are condemned.”
“There are 46 people who had families and were looking for a better life,” he added in his dialogue with the media.
Texas Governor Blames Biden Administration
For his part, the Republican Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, decided to take a different position regarding this event and quickly blamed the responsibility on the President of the United States, Joe Biden.
“These deaths must be attributed to Biden. They are the result of your murderous open borders policy,” he lashed out.
The number of illegal immigrants arriving in the United States has increased considerably since the inauguration of Biden and Kamala Harris. The accumulation of deceased migrants in recent months deepened criticism of the policies of this Administration.
There is a similar precedent in San Antonio that occurred in 2017. On that occasion, ten migrants had died in the back of a truck that was parked in the parking lot of the Wal-Mart chain. James Matthew Bradley Jr., the driver of the trailer, was sentenced to life in prison.
With EFE and Reuters
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